For Fletcher Insulation Dandenong Site Manager Gary Zarkadas, manufacturing is about much more than what comes off the production line.
Having spent his entire working life in manufacturing, Gary’s connection to the industry began with his father, who introduced him to manufacturing and taught him the value of making things here in Australia.
It’s a perspective that continues to shape how Gary sees his role today.
“My Dad introduced me to it and taught me the value of making things here in Australia,” Gary says. “I learned the importance of supporting local jobs, local communities, and when you create a product, it becomes more than just a product. It has meaning, purpose, and a piece of the people who made it.”
As Site Manager at Fletcher Insulation’s Dandenong manufacturing facility in Victoria, Gary oversees the day-to-day operations of the site, with responsibility spanning safety, production and quality, as well as ensuring operators have the support and resources they need to perform at their best.
People at the heart of manufacturing
While manufacturing technology and processes are important, Gary is clear about what he believes makes the biggest difference.
“For me, people are everything. They are the reason we are successful.”
The Dandenong facility has a highly experienced team, with the knowledge and skills required to manufacture glasswool insulation consistently and to the quality expected of Fletcher Insulation products.
But for Gary, it’s also the way people work together that matters.
“We’re like a family. We have good days and challenging days, but our teamwork and dedication are what help us consistently deliver for our customers every day.”
That sense of teamwork is also what gives Gary some of his greatest satisfaction as Site Manager – seeing the team work together, tackle challenges and deliver results.
Safety comes first
The Dandenong site’s vision – Creating a better Australia, producing the best insulation safely, simply delivered – brings together the priorities that underpin the way the facility operates.
For Gary, it starts with making sure people go home safely every day.
A strong safety culture, he says, means people feel comfortable speaking up when they see something unsafe or something that doesn’t look right. It also means listening and acting when concerns are raised.
“When a concern is raised, I take my team onto the floor, listen to the operators so we can understand the issue firsthand, and then take action.”
The site also undertakes regular safety walks to identify hazards and opportunities for improvement, with the aim of being proactive rather than reactive.
Getting quality right
Producing glasswool insulation is a complex manufacturing process, and achieving consistent quality requires attention to many different variables.
“Manufacturing insulation is not easy. Every part of the process has to be right to make sure we produce a quality product every time,” Gary says.
Glass quality and temperature, suction, product weight and fibre size are just some of the factors the Dandenong team closely monitors throughout production. Equally important, Gary says, achieving consistent quality relies on having skilled and committed people focused on getting it right.
There is also an interesting contradiction in manufacturing insulation: after everything that goes into producing it, much of the finished product will ultimately disappear from view.
“The funny thing is, after all the work that goes into making it, the insulation ends up hidden behind a wall where nobody sees it, but we know how important it is.”
Proudly manufacturing in Australia
That importance extends beyond the factory.
For Gary, locally manufactured insulation represents Australian jobs, skills and manufacturing capability, but also a product that ultimately has a purpose in the buildings where Australians live and work.
“I have a lot of respect for Australian manufacturers because I know how hard it is to get it right. It takes skill, commitment, resilience and teamwork every single day.”
Knowing that glasswool insulation produced by the Dandenong team goes out into communities across Australia gives Gary a strong sense of connection to what the facility produces.
“Seeing our products on utes across the country gives me a real sense of pride and reminds me why Australian manufacturing matters.”
Looking ahead, Gary’s ambition for Dandenong comes back to the same thing that sits at the centre of his approach to manufacturing: people.
“I’d like the Dandenong facility to be known as a great place to work, with a strong team, great people, and a culture where everyone looks after each other.”
Fletcher Insulation’s Australian-made glasswool brands include Pink Batts®, Soundbreak®, FirmaSoft® and Pink® Partition. Learn more about our Australian manufacturing and our brands.
